Gloucester Rugby kicked-off it's 2023/24 Premiership Rugby Cup campaign with a 42-14 win over Championship side Nottingham at a sun soaked Kingsholm stadium on Saturday.
Jack Clement opened the scoring for Gloucester's 150th anniversary season, diving over from close range after the Cherry & Whites opted for the corner, following an early penalty. George Barton added the extras 7-0
A perfectly placed 50:22 from Barton put Gloucester within striking distance again soon after, Reece Dunn securing the Cherry & Whites’ second score after a series of silky offloading put the fullback clear on the wing. Barton secured the conversion. 14-0.
Kingsholm didn’t have to wait too long for a third score, with Louis-Hillman Cooper putting Josh Hathaway into space, the winger collecting his own kick and sliding over the line. Barton made it 3/3 off the boot with Gloucester now ahead by 21-0.
The Championship side struggled to get out of their own half in the opening exchanges, Gloucester’s defence proving largely impenetrable. When line breaks were made, the home side’s scramble soon put them back in control, keeping the visitors off the scoreboard.
That narrative continued as the half played out, a miss-pass from George Barton finding Jake Morris unmarked on the wing, crossing the whitewash for Gloucester’s fourth try. Barton, who controlled the game superbly, added the conversion to send Gloucester in 28-0 at half-time.
Nottingham’s woes were compounded as the second half got under way, referee George Selwood awarding Gloucester a penalty try after Jacob Wright slapped the ball over the dead ball area, preventing a fifth score for the Cherry & Whites. With a yellow card shown, the Archers found themselves with 14-men, trailing by 35 points.
Despite the disappointing start to the half, the men in black and green finally opened their scoring, lock Come Joussain scrambling over from close range. Sam Hollingsworth added the two points. 7-35
With 55-minutes on the board, Gloucester’s Jack Clement scored his second try of the Premiership Rugby Cup opener, collecting a pick-and-go from fellow try scorer Jake Morris. Barton’s impressive performance continued, nailing his sixth conversion of the game. 42-7
As the game closed out, even the Kingsholm crowd applaued the individual effort of Nottingham’s Harry Graham, who scored the visitor’s second try. The winger weaved his way through the Cherry & White defence from inside his own half to dot down under the posts. Morgan Bunting added the extras.
Final score: 42-14.
